SOLDIER of Midgar
by Krazie-edge
Summary: Rated for language that may be there or come later. Title changed. A Shinra SOLDIERs tale.
1. the beginning and the first mission

DISCLAIMER!: ok i don't own FF7 in any way, shape or form, but i do own the made-up charries.

* * *

A young girl walked into the front hall of the high school in Midgar called Midgar high. She stopped and looked at the trophy case. Her reflection in it was slight, but you could see that she had a red cloth about her head and cloak on her back, piercing red eyes, she was rather short, a tail, combat type SOLDIER boots, and a sword. She turned from the trophy case at the sound of the bell ringing to signify the beginning of class. She was late and she looked at the paper in her fingerless gloved right hand. SOLDIER training. She had transferred from Nibelheim to become a Shinra SOLDIER. Her brother was here already, training to become a Turk. Two separate parts of Shinra, one dark and cold, one to protect. She walked down the hall after reading the room number. She walked down the hall before pausing again to decide whether or not to remove the cloth from her head. She shook her head and wandered to the classroom with the number 101-B. She slowly pushed open the door and heard the demanding yell of a male, that she thought was the teacher. 

"Shut up you insolent ingrates! You'll never be as great as me! I know more about war that you could ever dream of knowing!" she pushed open the door to find a boy in a trenchcoat standing on his desk yelling at the class. Her red eyes blinked at the boy as his platinum haired head moved to look behind him at her. the teacher came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder, ushering her inside.

"Sephiroth Lucretius! That is enough! Get in your seat immediately!" the platinum haired boy hopped off the table and sat down with a huge grin plastered on his face. Mecha blinked before the teacher asked her name.

She quietly said, "Mecha Valentine..." the teacher pointed at a seat in the front row next to Sephiroth. She blinked and moved quickly to it sitting down. The teacher turned his back to the class and began writing on the board. A piece of paper was slid onto her desk from the right. Sephiroth was on the left. She picked it up and read it.

(Be cautious of Sephiroth.) She looked to her right at a sinister looking boy, who grinned at her. She scribbled on the paper quickly in reply.

(Thanks for the tip, but I could have found that out myself.) She pushed the paper at him and he read before scribbling on it and pushing it at her again.

(Aren't you in the wrong class?) She turned a look at him and grinned, scribbled on the paper again, and passed it back.

(Does it matter?) the teacher turned back to the class stopping the sinister looking boys' reply.

"Class we have a new student transferring from Nibelheim to become a SOLDIER. We must treat this student with our utmost respect." The class grumbled, being as it consisted of all boys. A sly grin crossed Mecha's face. "This student isn't to be taken lightly. I'd like to introduce you to Mecha Valentine." The teacher gestured to the slyly grinning girl next to Sephiroth. The whole class stared at the small girl who turned that sly grin on them all. Some of the boys decided that they were going to test this new student out at lunch today. Sephiroth turned a sly grin back at her when she turned it upon him.

'This girl is our new student? I hardly think she'll be much of a match.' Sephiroth thought. The teacher called attention and began class. He passed out tests about the tactics in war and Mecha began working immediately. The sinister boy next to her started scribbling on the conversation paper and slid it on her desk.

(Mecha Valentine huh? Aren't you too small to be the kid from Nibelheim?)

She snatched it and wrote, (I'm busy wait until after the test..) then returned to the test. She and Sephiroth finished the test at the same time, but she would have finished first if the little disturbance of the boy hadn't taken up two minutes of her time. She lay her pencil down and yawned a little, leaning back in her chair.

"Miss Valentine!" the teacher snapped. She looked up at him. "I know you aren't done yet." She picked up the paper and held it to the teacher. He snatched it and looked it over.

Soon the others were finishing their tests and passing them in.

"You have free time while I grade the tests. Then we will move on to the weapons training." Everyone began to talk quietly, while Sephiroth got up from his desk and moved to his sword, which was leaning on the wall. He picked it up and swung it around a little in the weapons training portion of the classroom.

The boy who head pestered her earlier asked her the question again, this time aloud.

"Maybe. Maybe not."

"You seem confident."

"Confidence has nothing to do with it. You seem to doubt a lot."

"They call me Duster."

"I've heard of you. They say you dusted an entire squadron of full-fledged SOLDIERS on your own..." Duster laughed.

"Well maybe I did."

"That would explain half the scars on your face.." she turned from Duster.

"You seem to be able to read people well." A voice echoed from behind her. She cut a look at the boy behind her. His blonde hair was spiked all over the place and he was followed by a black haired boy with his hair spiked towards the back.

"So?"

The teacher called everyone to attention. Everyone moved back to their seats and Sephiroth slid coolly into his seat on the left of Mecha. The teacher passed back the tests as he spoke.

"Everyone did as well as they had been doing. With the exception of Mecha Valentine and Sephiroth Lucretius who did exceptionally well. Partner up for weapons training." Everyone got a partner quickly and Mecha stood away from everyone so that she wouldn't get picked. She knew the devastating power she held with her sword and materia combined. Sephiroth strode up with his smug grin to Mecha and held out a gloved hand.

"Looks like you need a partner." She reached a fingerless gloved hand out to shake his hand.

"So I do." Sephiroth dragged her towards the open area of the classroom. And readied himself.

"No materia!"

Mecha grumbled and began to remove her materia from her sword. She put them away in her pack.

"Miss Valentine! Mr. Lucretius!" both looked at the teacher. "Off with the cloak and trenchcoat now!" both moved towards the wall to put away their things and Sephiroth looked at her.

"You know, he's substituting for our regular weapons trainer... our regular teacher isn't like this. He's much more laid back. He says there will be no time to change in the real world so we must fight as we are." Mecha nodded as she hung up her pack and cloak. "the substitute will make you take that red thing off too..." she looked at Sephiroth.

"There is no way in the name of the black materia I will ever remove my cloth for an activity such as this. He can go try to kiss the emerald weapon when it awakes." Sephiroth laughed and walked back with Mecha behind prepared for attacks. Sephiroth soon spun and brought his sword at her head. She brought up her sword and blocked, but wasn't ready for the off attack from the blonde boy and her face crossed a look of sheer pain. Her leg had a buster sword embedded into it and the blonde began stammering as she collapsed onto the ground in pain. The teacher gently dislodged the sword and told Sephiroth to help her get to the medic station. Sephiroth pulled her over his shoulders and quickly made for the medic station. The medic on duty was accompanied by Aeris, who analyzed the situation quickly and looked at the poor girl in pain.

"Did you do this Sephy?" Tifa asked him. Tifa was had a deadly crush on Sephiroth and would try to use it to her advantage.

"No Cloud did." Tifa pouted.

"Cloud is mean isn't he Sephy." Sephiroth put Mecha down and glared at Tifa.

"I told you to stop calling me Sephy! And you already know I refuse to be your boyfriend!" everyone near the medic station heard him yell this and peeked in. Including Cloud, who amazingly had a crush on Tifa. Aeris cured Mecha as quickly as she could and helped her to a bed to rest.

"Everyone out!" She commanded as her teacher the head clinician came in.

"Very good Aeris." Aeris grinned happily. "you are a very good Medic."

Lunch time came and Mecha got up. Aeris walked with her.

"What do you think about Sephiroth?"

"Huh?" Mecha snapped out of her thoughts.

"What do you think about Sephiroth?" Mecha got one of those sweatdrop anime looks on her face with her hand behind her head.

"Heh heh," she laughed nervously. "He's cute."

"I think so too. But Zack is so much cuter!" Aeris's face drew into a dreamy look for a moment. "Would you like to sit with me at lunch today? I'm sure Cloud, Zack, and Sephiroth will be coming."

"Um.. ok. What's your name?"

"Aeris. What's yours?"

"Mecha." Aeris grinned happily. As they entered the lunch hall, the black haired boy waved at Aeris.

"Yo Aeris over here!" Aeris waved back and pulled Mecha over to the table where Zack, Cloud, Sephiroth, and Duster were sitting already.

"Zack!" she kissed Zack's cheek lightly and Mecha looked away. She felt eyes upon her and looked up to find Sephiroth looking at her. "This is Mecha."

"Yeah. She's in my class." Aeris pushed Mecha on the bench beside Sephiroth, who put an arm on her shoulder. She cut a glance at the senior.

"Am I an armrest now?" Sephiroth laughed.

"No, but your gonna keep that pesterance of a big-chested brunette away." Mecha blinked. And he added next to her ear, "I don't like her." She felt the movement of his lips next to her ear as he spoke. She shuddered a little wishing she had her cloak now. Sephiroth pulled off his trenchcoat revealing a set of well toned muscles and put the coat around her.

"You are something else." Duster commented to Sephiroth, who grinned. "I want to speak with you." Sephiroth and Duster got up and walked off to talk a minute alone. Aeris and Zack looked at Mecha.

"I dare say Sephiroth has never given anyone his coat before," Zack stated. "but then again I've never seen anyone take one of Cloud's off attacks so well either."

Mecha looked at him and blinked those red eyes of hers.

"Most would scream from that." No one noticed the evil Professor Hojo walk up behind Mecha.

"So she is strong huh?" everyone looked at Hojo who had a sneering look on his face and he grabbed Mecha by the wrist.

"Professor Hojo no!" Sephiroth came running back to them and managed to pry the evil man off. Mecha fled the cafeteria and a few boys from class surrounded her. They closed in on her and she wished she had more of a weapon than her fists about now. She dodged most of them and was caught by the biggest of them by her tail. He hauled her back and threw her into another boy.

"Not so great are we?" the large boy said as he struck her in the jaw full force snapping her head to the right. She slowly brought an angered glare to resting upon the large boys' face. He struck her again and another struck her in the stomach. She almost doubled over, but was restrained by the boy that held her. she began to look up again. A bruise had begun on the left side of her face. The slight purple swelling had clenched half her jaw shut. Vincent Valentine came out of the cafeteria as the fifth punch had been delivered to Mecha's jaw after the swelling had begun. A few more were delivered before he knew who was being beaten.

"Mecha!" he ran over throwing the largest back against the wall. The other two fled and dropped the poor girl to the ground. "Where is your sword?!"

"Dropped it when I was caught with a buster sword in my leg during weapons training.."

"Well you're alright now.."

* * *

Days passed and the beatings continued. No mater who stopped them. She had given Sephiroth his coat after she had gotten her cloak back. It was the day for mission selection and Mecha was worried. The youngest to ever to be selected as a candiate. Mecha and her class stood next to the platform ready to demonstrate their worth for SOLDIER. Sephiroth was next to Mecha and he had his arm slung around her shoulders. Tifa had been beating on her too, but she looked pretty well for being beaten twice daily. Her face no longer swelled at the hard punches, but stayed a little discolored about her jaw area on the left side of her face. None had seen what Tifa did to her. She mostly kept that hidden. Lunch came before Mecha and Sephiroth could get their go at the SOLDIER trials.

"Come one Mecha!" Sephiroth, Zack, Cloud, and Aeris called. Aeris had become her best friend in the scant days she had known her. She smiled and waved them on. It was time she stood up to all those who beat her down daily. The trio caught her first and she dispatched them with a stop spell. Tifa on the other hand caught her off guard as she headed towards the cafeteria and kicked her through the double doors. She crashed into a table, breaking it, as Tifa slammed through the doors. Sephiroth stood as Mecha got up from the wreckage that once was a table. She raised her sword in both hands and stared at Tifa. The blood ran from a gash across her forehead, where her cloth once was. Her hair had fallen into her face, seeming to block her vision. Vincent had also gotten up from his table when Mecha had crashed through the table, but when he saw Mecha stand, he stayed right when he was. Tifa moved towards her and the sword moved slightly. Tifa closed in with a powerful attack and Mecha stepped to the side and whacked Tifa in the back sending her sprawling into another table. She flicked back her hair slightly and sent a stop spell on Tifa. With that she limped off, putting her sword over her shoulder, holding her cloak around herself, and picking up her red cloth. Sephiroth gaped at her. He had never seen her in a real battle before. The SOLDIER recruiters from Shinra saw this and gave her a mark for good battle tactics and taking control of the situation. Sephiroth finally stopped gaping as Tifa clung to him. He dislodged her and pushed her to Cloud who began to take care of her. He followed a drip trail of blood. He found Mecha not far near a bucket of water. She picked up a handful of water and ran it over her face.

"Mecha," he said quietly. Mecha jumped slightly. "It's alright. It's Sephiroth."

She sighed a little as he sat next to her.

"You know, you handled that battle very well... I'm just surprised you let her live."

"My aim was not to kill her, but to immobilize her for a short time. Besides, I am not on a mission either. If I were then I would follow mission perimeters, and if the perimeters were to kill her then I would have. Other than that I am merciful." Sephiroth didn't really understand. She looked at him and he saw the gash on her forehead was still bleeding. He reached up and cured it without her really knowing. He looked at her back that was slightly exposed from the tear in her shirt. The rest of her shirt had been torn badly in the battle, showing off a lot more than needed to be seen. Sephiroth took off his trenchcoat and the tank top underneath and passed her the tank top.

"Here.. put this on Mecha" she looked at his shirt.

"I can't wear your shirt."

"I insist Mecha..." she took his shirt and walked off to change. She soon came back wearing the shirt. She looked pretty uncomfortable in the tank top as she wasn't used to the way those type of shirts fit her. He had put his trenchcoat back on and he smiled at her. "you look very nice Mecha."

She blushed. She also wasn't used to comments. She sat down again and washed her arms, which had suffered a few cuts as well. She remained quiet as she cleaned herself. Sephiroth soon reached his arm around Mecha.

"Hey lunch is almost over lets go back so we don't fail the SOLDIER recruiting." She looked at him and cut a grin at him.

"Sure. As long as Tifa stays far away from me." they stood up and began to walk back. Sephiroth slipped his gloved hand around Mecha's hand and walked that way until the reached the school.

"I have something to ask you later Mecha.." she looked at him and nodded. They split apart as they were the next combatants on the stage. Both knew that they needed utter concentration for this and this would determine what class they were to train with. Sephiroth secretly hoped that Mecha wouldn't be in first class. Infact, he hoped she didn't make the cut. Sephiroth was first with his fight, then Mecha got up. They went through the ranks until they beat all the SOLDIERs they had been pitted against. The rest of the class that hadn't gone before lunch went and during that time. Sephiroth searched the crowd of classmates for Mecha. She was no where to be found by his eyes.

"Congratulations SOLDER recruits! We will be naming the class rankings in just a moment. SOLDIER Sledge please announce the seventh class." A burly man walked onto the platform and began to speak.

"Arteku Gonfargas! Shin Mera! Tomak Merharasa! And Fargo Hart!"

"Sixth class will be announced by SOLDIER Hamm."

"Gargas Nibas! Tarrel Dumaska! Darian Farh!" Mecha blinked as her name was not stated as the ranks went higher and higher. Sephiroth became prouder as the ranks rose. Soon they were going to name the first class.

"And a special honor, President Shinra will name the first class recruits!" the red suited president walked out.

"It has been a long time since we have recruited any SOLDIER trainees into the first class," the president droned on and on. Mecha wondered where Sephiroth was as she was feeling pretty bad about now. Sephiroth on the other hand had stopped searching the crowd while the crowd while the ranks had been named and he spotted the girl when he looked down from the president. The president looked down and spotted the girl too. He pointed to her for his son to see as Sephiroth made his way to her. All the recruits were with someone else, joyous or sad, but this young girl was not. Sephiroth finally got to Mecha and put his arm around her shoulders. "I will now announce the first class recruits. Sephiroth Lucretius, Zack Forester, and Mecha Valentine." Every one cheered as Sephiroth winced. They both were first class SOLDIERs. That would cut the time they had between missions down to a week.

"Mecha." She looked at him for a brief moment.

"I have to prepare.." with that she walked away.

"Mecha wait! I want to ask you something!" she turned back and walked to him.

"Maybe after I ready a bit we can do something and you can ask me.." he put his hand on her shoulder.

"How about I walk you home and I can ask you on the way?"

"Don't you have to prepare too?"

He nodded. "but not much. I anticipated this and was ready days ago..."

"Oh.. ok.. you can walk me home.." she waited for him to follow. They walked towards her small home. Tifa followed still obsessed with Sephiroth. Sephiroth put his arm around Mecha who usually did nothing and did so now.

"Mecha.."

"Hmm?" They reached her house at that point.

"Will you go out with me sometime?" Mecha looked at him.

"What about Tifa?" Sephiroth furrowed his brows under platinum bangs.

"If she messes with you she'll have to reckon with me." Mecha gave a half smile.

"Alright. I'll decide when." Sephiroth nodded.

"Can I walk with you to the Shinra headquarters?"

"Yeah. When it's time to go..." Sephiroth leaned down and kissed her cheek. She blushed a little and walked inside. Sephiroth watched her go. The little sister of Vincent Valentine, who graduated not many years ago as a Turk, was very special. Sephiroth liked the way she was. She had been the only girl to not look at him and drool in Midgar High. Of course there weren't many girls in school there. That school was all about battle.

"So little sister," Vincent called from the kitchen, "who walked you home?"

"Sephiroth Lucretius. Why?"

"No reason... I heard you got first class. That's wonderful." Vincent walked from the kitchen. He had cut his hair short and Mecha stared at her brother.

"Vinny! Your hair!" Vincent laughed.

"I had to. For the Turks. Tseng thinks we do better that way."

"Screw Tseng!" Vincent's red eyes opened wide.

"Mecha that is no way to talk about my boss!" Mecha crossed her arms and turned her back to her brother.

"I don't care." Vincent shook his head and Mecha walked into her room. She flopped over on her bed and closed her eyes.

* * *

"Mommy! Vinny is beating me up again!" a young Mecha cried in their home in Nibelheim.

"Vincent Valentine leave your sister alone!"

"Awww Mom!"

"Hey Vinny, why are you leaving?" a teenaged Mecha asked sadly.

"Because I have to complete my training in Midgar." Vincent tapped his sister on the chin lightly.

"But who will keep the mean boys away?"

"Someone will protect you.."

* * *

Mecha awoke holding her head. Vincent called from downstairs.

"Mecha! Someone is here for you!" Mecha got up and went downstairs slowly "Mecha!!!!"

"Damnit Vincent! I'm coming already!" she stopped at the top of the stairs and looked down the stairway at the scarred form of Duster. "what is it Duster?" Duster turned to look up the stairs at her.

"Sephiroth wants you immediately. He says it's very important." She blinked her red eyed gaze at Duster. She walked down the stairs, her booted feet making loud thumps as she came down. She reached to her sword and picked it up.

"If you are lying to me I swear I'll kill you." Duster nodded. "Lead the way. Duster led her to Sephiroth's house and went inside. She followed with her sword readied. Sephiroth stepped out of the kitchen of his house and her sword lowered immediately.

"Thank you Duster." Duster nodded then left.

"What did he say to you Mecha."

"That it was important.."

"Well it is to me.." Mecha tilted her head a bit.

"What is it?"

"I've received my first mission." He turned to walk into the kitchen again. Mecha followed.

"That's great Sephiroth." he turned on the stove and began to cook.

"Well not really." Mecha blinked at Sephiroth wondering why he looked so bothered.

"What's wrong with the mission?" Sephiroth turned to look at her.

"Tifa is on this mission. I was told that she insisted that I be on this mission with her." Mecha nodded as he turned back to the stove. "she is really trying to become my girlfriend..."

Mecha turned to the window on the other side of the room and walked to it. She spoke quietly, "I know you don't like Tifa, but it is your mission... do the perimeters and-." she was cut off by a piece of paper stuck into her hands. She read it. "I can't believe this! She's resorting to the worst measures!"

"I know.." Sephiroth looked at the back of her head, which was shaking. "do you want to stay for dinner?"

"I can't.. I'm going to headquarters." Sephiroth reached a hand towards Mecha as she stormed out of the kitchen. He listened to her footsteps thump across the floorboards quickly and the door slam.

"Don't do this.." he looked for the papers and soon found out that Mecha had taken them.

"This is insane! You can't send a man on a mission like this!" she slung the papers on president Shinra's desk. "that is just like forcing him into marriage when he isn't ready!" the president picked up the papers and looked them over.

"I see... who would do a mission like this..." the president looked at he and handed her a stack of papers. "your orders. Take Sephiroth with you. You leave tonight... now get out of my sight." Mecha fled the office and the HQ as quickly as she could. She heard the pounding steps of Shinra guards behind her because she had sneaked into the building. She ran for the stairs and began to jump the rails. Soon she was out of the HQ and slid down a pole to the Sector 5 slums as the Shinra guards came out the building. She hid quickly and they ran past her and disappeared. She waited a few minutes before slipping into a shop and purchasing a huge black hooded cloak. She put it on and moved quickly. Into the next shop, where she purchased a pair of glasses and a pair of false contacts that would turn her eyes purple. Then to the next where she bought several hair coloring kits. After about an hour she had a pack full of things and moved towards Sephiroth's house. She banged on the door until he opened it.

"What is it?!" he demanded. She pushed the paper she had written on at him. He snatched it and read it.

(Sephiroth, I got your orders changed. Ask the hooded creature in front of you for the orders. I already have the other copy. My orders are there too. I'll meet you after my mission perimeters are completed. - Mecha Valentine)

Sephiroth held out his hand and the papers he needed were planted in his hand. Then Mecha walked away from him.

A few days later she stood at the docks in Junon waiting for Sephiroth to show up. He came not long after, staring at her. By now she had changed her hair to the purest white and pulled it back into a ponytail, so that she looked so much different than before. He walked up and tapped her.

"Have you seen a black-haired girl around here?"

"Nay, but if ye wait a while I am sure she'll come." She spoke with an accent so Sephiroth couldn't place her voice well.

"I must find her. You said she will come?"

"Aye, that I did." He looked very bothered. Soon the ship docked and everyone boarded. Mecha slipped to the cargo bay and lay on the platform above the cargo for a nap. Sephiroth soon walked in the cargo room and saw the platinum haired girl napping on the platform. Her face looked familiar in some way. He began to mutter and the girl awoke herself. "man, do you mind I'm trying to sleep!" Sephiroth snapped to looking at the girl. Her hair had tumbled from its previous look and over her face like when she had black hair.

"I'm sorry, I'm wishing Mecha were here." She stared at him and put on her glasses.

"Mecha may be here..." Sephiroth looked at her.

"Where?" she yawned a bit.

"Doesn't matter right now..."He shoved his sword through the platform and through her leg. "AGH! FINE I'LL TELL YOU! GET YER DAMN SWORD OUT OF MY LEG SEPHIROTH!" he pulled his blade back.

"How do you know my name?"

"SOLDIER training you idiot..."

"You lie." He crossed his arms. She removed her glasses and took out the contacts, revealing her red eyes.

"So I lie huh?" Sephiroth found himself staring at a red-eyed gaze from under platinum hair. She leapt down and limped to him staring at him from her short position. Sephiroth stared into the red-eyed gaze as he had done many times before. He still didn't believe it.

"Tell you what, show me where Mecha is, and I won't kill you." Mecha yawned.

"Fine, Fine, just wait until the mission is completed...." Sephiroth glared at her, his mako-green eyes full of malice.

"Now!" she stared at him.

"You think that look is going to help any?! You're just going to have to wait!"

Sephiroth stalked from the cargo bay, as Mecha climbed up to the platform again. Sephiroth fumed on deck. She was acting like Mecha, in the 'My mission comes first' bit, but he wanted to know where Mecha was now. He stormed to the bow and stared in the direction they were headed. He listened to the ships crew running about after the captain barked orders at them. He soon went below deck to find a bunk. After he went below, Mecha came out of the cargo area and limped to the bow of the ship She had forgotten to put her hair back up and it began to flap behind her. She grumbled openly as she stared at the open sea.

"He thinks that causing pain to people will make me tell him I am Mecha..." a crew member had overheard her talk and decided to tell Sephiroth. she soon grumbled, "I know how much you wanted to be far away from Tifa, so I changed the mission to include me.... and something that would be a use of our skills. But you're just gonna have to wait..." she looked at her leg that was bleeding badly and limped to a bunk to cleanse it.

Sephiroth glared at the crew member that had told him that Mecha had been limping on deck.

"Where did she go?!" the man gulped.

"To a room sir..." Sephiroth shoved him out and slammed the door. He needed to think. A loud yell of pain erupted from a room next to his. To his amazement it was Mecha's very own voice. In the room next to his on the right Mecha was doctoring her wound.

"Damnit..." she wrapped her leg up and limped out of her room wearing the red cloak and cloth, but her hair was still platinum in color. Sephiroth walked out as she shut the door. he watched her limp down the hallway.

'Mecha?' he thought to himself, 'No it can't be her..' he began to follow the limping girl as the ship docked in Costa Del Sol.

That very night he and Mecha were standing on the balconies of their rooms. Hers to the right of his. He sighed and she looked at him. She looked at him and decided to ask why he wanted to find her so bad. She leaned over the railing and stared at him, by now she looked much different once more. This time reddish hair. He was unnerved by her gaze.

"What do you want?"

"Well, heard you're looking for someone... I was wondering why..." Sephiroth looked at her closely, but she was now looking out over the small town. He shrugged and decided it wouldn't hurt to tell this girl as he'd never see her again.

"I'm looking for someone to tell them something important to me.." he leaned on the railing.

"Are they supposed to have met you somewhere?"

"Well she's supposed to meet me in Nibelheim."

"Hmm.... Meet her there I guess..." he looked at her.

"Are you serious?!" she nodded.

"If she's anything like you, she's probably got something important to take care of.." he looked away.

"I suppose you're right..." he walked inside leaving her alone outside.

"I have something to tell you too..." she said quietly before walking inside.

The next morning, before dawn, Mecha awoke and began her journey to Nibelheim. She walked out of town in a blood red trenchcoat. She hoped that she wouldn't have to fight any dragon-types along the way. Her mission parameters stated that she had to fight one alone, she wasn't too thrilled about having to do so.

* * *

Sephiroth stretched and awoke with the light fingering his face and well toned arms. He sat up and his platinum hair spilled over his back and shoulders. Mecha would have loved to see that. But too bad, at the time she was fighting off a hoard of fireballs. She had stumbled upon a nest of them. Her sword slashed left and right trying to fend off the fireballs. Sephiroth stood and moved towards his coat and shirt and pulled them on. He sheathed his sword in his belt and went on his way. Within an hour of walking in the rain, he heard the cry of fireballs and his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Another stupid traveler…" he soon saw a blood red trenchcoated figure with black hair slashing the fireballs back. The stance figure held was familiar. A fireball dashed and the figure leapt over it. It barreled at him and he whipped out his sword and slashed it in half. The figure whacked another his way and he dispatched that one too. The figure spun and the figure revealed itself as a woman as he dispatched one behind him. She jumped and ducked, smacked and slashed until they were gone. She dropped low and waited for the seven she had smacked backwards to attack, but saw Sephiroth. His platinum hair flapped in the rough wind that sprung up as he sheathed his sword. He strode to her and she righted herself and put her sword behind herself. She tried to act like she'd done that purposely, but Sephiroth glared at her as he passed. She gave chase.

"Hey! I really did start that fight!" she slipped and Sephiroth spun around and grabbed her and set her upright.

"That was stupid. They should have killed you." This angered her greatly.

"Oh, so now you're all high and mighty!" she screamed, "just because I stumbled onto that nest of Fireballs! I'm grateful for the help, but you're being such a yin-yang!" Sephiroth spun around and his eyes flashed with hostility. They were on the bridge now and he strode to her. Then he grabbed her up and held her over the chasm that the bridge spanned. She grabbed his arm as she stared at the ground that was far below.

"Say it again woman and I'll kill you." She stared at him for a minute before beginning to yell once more. Only it was different this time.

"Sephiroth! Where are you?! Damnit!" she grumbled on and on as Sephiroth dragged her back over and dropped her on the bridge.

"What do you want with me woman?" He seethed angrily. She coughed a little and sat down drawing up.

"My name isn't woman it's Lahara!" Sephiroth blinked at her name. He shook off his anger and sat down near her.

"Sorry Miss Lahara." she looked at him now and sneezed again. It was him. Her eyes blinked slowly and she stood.

"I must be on my way.." with that she walked across the bridge. Sephiroth watched the girl go. He soon got up and went on his way as well.

* * *

Later in North Corel, Mecha was doctoring the burns and wounds she had sustained from the fireballs. she grumbled loudly as she opened the bottle of astringent and poured it over the largest wound. she tried not to yell out in pain, but did anyways suppressing it into a extremely loud growl. after a while she wrapped the burns and wounds with bandages and none too neatly either as she was in a great hurry. afterwards she drained all the color in her hair again and walked to the tram to go to the Gold Saucer and looked about a moment. part of her mission was to check out the current owner of the Gold Saucer and use the PHS to call president Shinra if anything looked amiss. she rode the tram being sure to stay away from the others and look as menacing as possible to keep them away. that wasn't very easy, but she managed to pull it off when a man who didn't seem threatened came to her and she sent him away with a broken arm which would be taken care of at the medic station in North Corel or on the Gold Saucer. she walked to the ticket courier and showed her mission papers. the courier had no choice, but to let her in. she scouted the race track, the battle square, and the rest of the place and found nothing that was suspicious. until she came to wonder square. there standing in a corner was a bouncing fortune teller thing (like Cait Sith from the game) and it was reading fortunes all funny. she raised a brow and called into Shinra.

When President Shinra answered she spoke, "First Class SOLDIER Valentine reporting a strange fortune telling device in Wonder square in the Gold Saucer."

"Good work SOLDIER Valentine. that is the opperative sent to test you." then shinra hung up. she hung up the PHS and went out of the Gold Saucer quickly and down to North Corel. Soon she would be off to Nibelheim escorting a few merchants to Cosmo Canyon first.

"Let's go people I don't have all week!" she yelled for the mrchants. they quickly picked up their wares and followed her out of the small town.

A few days went by before the small group made it into Cosmo canyon, with Mecha grumbling angrily. the merchants quickly left her company and she went to find an inn for the night when she ran into Nanaki. well more like tripped over his sleeping form. he opened an eye and stared at her for a moment and she stared back.

"hmf..." Nanaki growled sleepily.

"Sorry bout that..." she mumbled and went inside.


	2. finishing a mission

Once inside, she looked around. Just a simple shop nothing more. She soon left as her business there was completed. She headed back outside, this time being careful not to trip over Nanaki. She walked to the edge of town and stared at the dusty hardness of the canyon for but a moment before continuing on. She spent the next few hours thinking of how she would defeat the dragon in Nibelheim. Maybe it would be an easy battle. Who knew, but she must travel to it under the guise of darkness, so as not to worry Sephiroth, who really was worrying at this time.

That night Sephiroth sat staring out of the window of the Inn he was staying in. he wasn't sure if he wanted to finish his mission and find the Materia Keeper. That would mean that he would have to go back to Midgar. With Mecha or without her. He sighed and lay down. Mecha sure was taking her time getting there.

"Where are you Mecha?"

Not too far away Mecha was sleeping in a Desert Buggy that was still driving across the plains of Nibelheim. She would be there long before dawn now to complete the mission parameters and wait for Sephiroth. Her sleep was plagued by nightmares of Sephiroth fighting and dying. She would emit a whine every now and again, because she couldn't dare lose a friend, or a comrade in battle.

The next morning about 4 hours before dawn, Mecha climbed out of the car and entered Nibelheim. She slowly walked through the town and towards the path to Mount Nibel. She paused in the center of town and stared at the Inn. A sigh escaped her as she saw his silhouette upon the window shade.

"I'll be around here soon Sephiroth… soon as the dragon is dead…" she turned back towards the path and headed up it.

The very next morning she was napping in a tree when Sephiroth passed. He sighed loudly and she heard him talking to himself. She hopped from the tree her hair flying up, until she hit the ground, whereas it spilled over her back and shoulders. She stood upright as he turned around.

"Who are you?" he sounded very angry about something.

"Calm down…" she said straitening up, "I told you I meet you in Nibelheim didn't I?" Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. She stood silently pulling her hair up on her head, the very way he had met her on the docks of Junon. Then she tied the red cloth about her head and donned her cloak as well.

"Well," he began sounding much calmer, "what do you want?"

"My mission of course Sephiroth." Sephiroth turned from her and walked off up the path.

"You betrayed me."

Mecha stood there confused and feeling very betrayed herself. Then she continued up the path slowly.

Weeks passed before they saw each other again. Mecha looking very sad and upset, Sephiroth angry and hating. She had tried to apologize, but it was of no avail. Sephiroth wasn't speaking to her. Once they were in Midgar she tried again.

"Sephiroth-" She began once more. Sephiroth turned a fierce glare upon her once more, the one that usually ended up cutting her off, but this time she continued "-I'm sorry." With that she ran into Midgar tearfully.


	3. Cadet Valentine

A year would pass before Sephiroth saw the black haired-Shinra Soldier again. The only reason he saw her now, was because she pushed him aside cold-heartedly, as she did with the next few people before he grabbed her arm. The hiss of steel was heard and he managed to bring his sword up just in time to block the oncoming attack.

"Let me go," her all to familiar voice hissed vehemently forcing her blade down upon his.

"No, I want an apology." his voice was gentle, but unyielding in his demand. The red eyes that had been glaring at him shut as she wrenched her arm from his grasp. She then spun around and walked away from him with absolute indifference.

"Damn," a voice beside him said after a moment, "she's pissed today." he turned to stare at Cloud, who was just staring off in Mecha's direction.

"And what makes you think that?" he said sarcastically.

"Shut up Sephiroth…"

Sephiroth glared. "Alright then. Why is she pissed so to say…"

He crossed his arms as another voice rang out be hind him, "She was demoted."

Sephiroth faced the voice who was Zack. "And why was she demoted?"

"Ask her when you see her. Oh here," the black-haired man said nonchalantly as he flipped a small stack of papers in his hand out towards the silver-haired bishounen, who snatched them and looked them over.

"Humph, Mission papers and I just got back…"

* * *

Sometime later found Sephiroth in Nibelheim looking at a bunch of rowdy troops, being yelled at by a testy female. The only one in the group. "If any of you touch me like that again you'll be singing high notes for the rest of your life!" she was wearing her helmet so he couldn't tell who she was. Sephiroth shook his head and walked behind the agitated girl and tapped her shoulder.

"There will be no violence in my squadron! Do you hear me cadet!"

The reply was grumbled.

"What! I can't hear you cadet!"

"Yes sir," came the low reply.

"Good. Now get out of my sight. All of you!"

* * *

All of the troops walked off snickering that the lowest of their group got chewed out. The female on the other hand shook her head as she walked to the Shinra mansion.

"Cadet! To the Inn! Now!" the girl just turned, looked at him, then walked into the mansion without a word. Sephiroth grumbled as he walked into the Inn. "Man that girl is going to be trouble."

The next morning Sephiroth found the female cadet ready and waiting as he exited the building after yelling at all of the troops to 'get their lazy asses up'.

"And the defiant one awakens first," he growled in annoyance.

The female cadet crossed her arms as she stared at the bishounen, who stared within his paperwork. While Sephiroth stared into his paperwork, the female cadet removed her helmet and her black hair tumbled down her back. Sephiroth happened to look up as her hair finished falling across her back and shoulders.

Sephiroth stared for a moment until the pair of red eyes opened. 'She's kind of cute,' he thought, but then he spoke harshly. "You need to cut that hair of yours cadet."

The red eyes glanced him over as she thought, 'Sephiroth…. Why did I see that old soft gleam in your eyes…' before answering defiantly, "I wouldn't cut my hair for Shinra and that means you can't make me do it either… So stop looking at me…" she pulled her hair back up into the helmet as she placed it back on.

"Hey! Cadet! Come here and clean my sword!" the mouth that was visible set itself into a hard line of anger as she walked towards the man that had yelled at her. Sephiroth watched as her sword hissed through the air and turned before whacking the man on the head, so that the flat of the blade sent the man sprawling into the dirt.

"Clean it yourself maggot. Demoted or not, I do not bend to your will." her words were seething with what seemed to be venomous affliction. The man got up and cursed the cadet under his breath. She readied to cast a spell upon the man, but Sephiroth grabbed her left arm and spun her around to face him.

"Cadet!" she blinked under the helmet, "you and I will speak about this incident tonight." it was then that the troops lined up before the inn. The female Cadet soon joined them in line standing the very way a First Class SOLDIER would.

As Sephiroth told them the mission parameters she stood stone still, staring strait ahead, even when Sephiroth stood before her and yelled down at her.

"MOVE OUT!" the Shinra troops began walking up the path with the cadet behind, scowling.

"I should be up there were First Class shold be, but no. I'm on a probationary demotion.. If I screw up this time I'm permanently demoted to Cadet…" she muttered to herself. She hardly noticed the other near her.

"Hey Valentine… you know your not supposed to talk to yourself silly girl.." she looked up at the brown-haired man next to her and sighed.

"Yeah I know…." she rubbed her arm where it had been forcefully grabbed earlier. "but you know it keeps my thoughts from being lost within my head.." the man nodded.

"Well be glad Sephiroth is too far away to hear that. Only SOLDIER are allowed to do what they want. Right now you are nothing to him. Just as we are…"

"Yeah yeah, I know that J'Meriko." J'Meriko nodded and joined those of his rank before Sephiroth could turn to scold him for talking to a lowly cadet.


	4. In the Reactor With Sephiroth

When they reached their designated campsite for the night, Sephiroth ordered them to set up camp. Once that was finished, Mecha Valentine sat before her tent with a sigh. It had been a long walk and tomorrow was going to be even harder. She kept her helmet on her head as she wasn't going to argue with anyone right now. She was much too proud for that. She watched as the rest of the Shinra military finished setting up and went into their tents. She lifted her hands to remove her helmet, when Sephiroth spoke, causing her to pause with her hands on the helmet.

"Get some sleep Cadet, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." she removed her hands from the helmet and crawled into her tent.

"Goodnight General," she said quietly. She heard his steps come closer to her tent, stop a moment, then retreat. After that had transpired, she finally removed her helmet, and let her long hair tumble down again. "I hate that thing... but if anyone sees me I'm in trouble..." she lay awake for quite some time before falling into an uneasy sleep only to be aroused by someone talking just outside her tent.

"Mecha, why did you trick me so long ago?" she lay quietly as he revealed how hurt he had been, also how angry. "Maybe I shouldn't have been so harsh... but what was I supposed to do?" she waited a few more moments before acting like she was awakening. This caused Sephiroth to react and shut his mouth and move as if he were patrolling the area. She exited her tent some time later, with her helmet on.

"Morning General," she muttered loud enough to be heard.

* * *

Sephiroth just glared at the person who wished him good morning. To him this was the worst morning ever. He had dreamed of back in school when she had first come into the class when he was standing on the table yelling at his classmates.

* * *

Flashback

"Shut up you insolent ingrates! You'll never be as great as me! I know more about war that you could ever dream of knowing!" he heard the door being pushed open behind him and then the footsteps of the teacher.

"Sephiroth Lucretius! That is enough! Get in your seat immediately!" he hopped off his desk and sat down with a huge grin crossing his features wickedly as he eyed the girl, who blinked when the teacher asked her name.

He listened when she quietly said, "Mecha Valentine..." the teacher pointed at a seat in the front row next to him. The teacher turned his back to the class and began writing on the board when the girl sat next to him. A piece of paper was slid onto her desk from the right as Sephiroth watched her without being noticed. He was on her left. She then picked it up and read it. Before long she scribbled on the paper and pushed it back.

End Flashback

He rubbed his forehead quietly before standing to go awaken the troops. What was wrong with him? Why was this cadet reminding him of Mecha Valentine? Defiance. Yes that was it. She was as defiant as Mecha and it was driving him nuts.

"ALRIGHT TROOPS UP AND AT'EM WE LEAVE IN HALF AN HOUR!" he listened with satisfaction when the scrambling of the troops began. The cadet however, was washing her weaponry in the water.

* * *

An hour later the troops were walking up the mountain side towards the reactor and the cadet was hefting an immense sword over her shoulder like an expert. How could a cadet do that? Cadets had such a hard time with their weaponry. Something wasn't right to Sephiroth about this cadet. He let it slide for now as they were nearing their destination.

A few minutes later he was dividing the troops into groups. "... you three. Check out the south side. You four check the north face. And you," he pointed at Mecha, "your with me in the reactor." Mecha nodded and put her sword on the ground as she watched the other six groups walk off. Soon afterwards she and Sephiroth were headed inside.

"Down the chain," he commanded when she stopped at the end of a plank. He heard her gulp and jump down towards the metal planks below. She grabbed the chain halfway down and swung there a moment before dropping to the planks with a loud clang. Sephiroth quickly moved down the chain and pushed the cadet onward toward the reactor core. It wasn't long before the cadet visibly started to shake, but kept onward. Once they passed through the door to where they were investigating they saw massive amounts of pods. All with mutated humans and creatures.

"What... is... this?" the words slowly crept from his mouth. The solemn reply came from the mouth of the cadet.

"Hojo's experiments. Not all were lucky enough to be released or saved." she walked to a pod in the center of the mass of pods. "He was one who wasn't so lucky." she patted the pod. "Too bad we have to kill them all." Sephiroth stared at the multitude of pods, then the cadet.

"How do you know this!" he cried. The cadet faced him.

"General, I cannot tell you even if I want to." she turned and looked at the pod again. "such is one sworn to secrecy.." she then bowed to the pod and mumbled something, before standing upright and driving her sword through the pods one by one with a yell. She had torn half of them apart when Sephiroth joined her. Once the pods were destroyed, the cadet fell panting.


	5. Promotion Regained and to Kalm

When they reached their designated campsite for the night, Sephiroth ordered them to set up camp. Once that was finished, Mecha Valentine sat before her tent with a sigh. It had been a long walk and tomorrow was going to be even harder. She kept her helmet on her head as she wasn't going to argue with anyone right now. She was much too proud for that. She watched as the rest of the Shinra military finished setting up and went into their tents. She lifted her hands to remove her helmet, when Sephiroth spoke, causing her to pause with her hands on the helmet.

"Get some sleep Cadet, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." she removed her hands from the helmet and crawled into her tent.

"Goodnight General," she said quietly. She heard his steps come closer to her tent, stop a moment, then retreat. After that had transpired, she finally removed her helmet, and let her long hair tumble down again. "I hate that thing... but if anyone sees me I'm in trouble..." she lay awake for quite some time before falling into an uneasy sleep only to be aroused by someone talking just outside her tent.

"Mecha, why did you trick me so long ago?" she lay quietly as he revealed how hurt he had been, also how angry. "Maybe I shouldn't have been so harsh... but what was I supposed to do?" she waited a few more moments before acting like she was awakening. This caused Sephiroth to react and shut his mouth and move as if he were patrolling the area. She exited her tent some time later, with her helmet on.

"Morning General," she muttered loud enough to be heard.

111

Sephiroth just glared at the person who wished him good morning. To him this was the worst morning ever. He had dreamed of back in school when she had first come into the class when he was standing on the table yelling at his classmates.

222

"Shut up you insolent ingrates! You'll never be as great as me! I know more about war that you could ever dream of knowing!" he heard the door being pushed open behind him and then the footsteps of the teacher.

"Sephiroth Lucretius! That is enough! Get in your seat immediately!" he hopped off his desk and sat down with a huge grin crossing his features wickedly as he eyed the girl, who blinked when the teacher asked her name.

He listened when she quietly said, "Mecha Valentine..." the teacher pointed at a seat in the front row next to him. The teacher turned his back to the class and began writing on the board when the girl sat next to him. A piece of paper was slid onto her desk from the right as Sephiroth watched her without being noticed. He was on her left. She then picked it up and read it. Before long she scribbled on the paper and pushed it back.

222

He rubbed his forehead quietly before standing to go awaken the troops. What was wrong with him? Why was this cadet reminding him of Mecha Valentine? Defiance. Yes that was it. She was as defiant as Mecha and it was driving him nuts.

"ALRIGHT TROOPS UP AND AT'EM WE LEAVE IN HALF AN HOUR!" he listened with satisfaction when the scrambling of the troops began. The cadet however, was washing her weaponry in the water.

000

An hour later the troops were walking up the mountain side towards the reactor and the cadet was hefting an immense sword over her shoulder like an expert. How could a cadet do that? Cadets had such a hard time with their weaponry. Something wasn't right to Sephiroth about this cadet. He let it slide for now as they were nearing their destination.

A few minutes later he was dividing the troops into groups. "... you three. Check out the south side. You four check the north face. And you," he pointed at Mecha, "your with me in the reactor." Mecha nodded and put her sword on the ground as she watched the other six groups walk off. Soon afterwards she and Sephiroth were headed inside.

"Down the chain," he commanded when she stopped at the end of a plank. He heard her gulp and jump down towards the metal planks below. She grabbed the chain halfway down and swung there a moment before dropping to the planks with a loud clang. Sephiroth quickly moved down the chain and pushed the cadet onward toward the reactor core. It wasn't long before the cadet visibly started to shake, but kept onward. Once they passed through the door to where they were investigating they saw massive amounts of pods. All with mutated humans and creatures.

"What... is... this?" the words slowly crept from his mouth. The solemn reply came from the mouth of the cadet.

"Hojo's experiments. Not all were lucky enough to be released or saved." she walked to a pod in the center of the mass of pods. "He was one who wasn't so lucky." she patted the pod. "Too bad we have to kill them all." Sephiroth stared at the multitude of pods, then the cadet.

"How do you know this!" he cried. The cadet faced him.

"General, I cannot tell you even if I want to." she turned and looked at the pod again. "such is one sworn to secrecy.." she then bowed to the pod and mumbled something, before standing upright and driving her sword through the pods one by one with a yell. She had torn half of them apart when Sephiroth joined her. Once the pods were destroyed, the cadet fell panting.

000

When the cadet awoke, Zack was staring down at her.

"Where am I?"

"Your back in Midgar. Sephiroth commended you on your job. He wants to speak with you once you put on your uniform. She looked at herself. She was wearing the blue uniform of the cadet.

"But I am.." when she was finished Zack gave her a small trenchcoat. "I thought they shredded this..." she took it tenderly into her hands and grabbed some clothes, before darting into the bathroom to change.

Zack chuckled as he heard the tearful joy that was escaping the bathroom. Mecha soon emerged as she once was. She picked up the old uniform and after folding it and picking up the helmet, she carried them to the Shinra HQ where Sephiroth would be debriefing his mission, with the president. She dropped the uniform off at the Office of SOLDIER Conduct and headed to the mess hall. Before seeing Sephiroth she was going to get a decent meal. Something she had been wanting for months. She stepped into the line and a moment later a voice spoke to her.

"Zack said you'd be here..." she adjusted the cloth on her head. "good to see the demotion wasn't permanent."

"What do you care Sephiroth? Last I saw you, you hated me." she began searching the items for lunch.

"I never hated you Mecha." Mecha turned and stared at him. She stared until he asked, "Why were you demoted?"

She sighed. "For failing to bring back a wanted prisoner... that and various other things."

"Like?"

"Your report..." Sephiroth blinked.

000

Sephiroth stared in the mirror in his quarters. Mecha had barely spoken to him. She had left after the simple answer.

'Your report...' the words rang in his head. What report? The one from over a year before? Wait? Didn't bad reports put points towards demotion? Shinra took it as a bad report? He guessed he had put too much anger into it. But demotion was probationary unless another bad report was received. She was lucky he hadn't put the many moments of defiance she had showed. He had decided against it when she had shown the fierceness that was of a Shinra SOLDIER when destroying those pods. Yes, he head removed her helmet once she had slipped into the lands of darkness, it had been then that he realized who the defiant cadet was. The very one he had shunned. He had felt terrible. She had gone into a frenzy to prove she was a good SOLDIER. Well enough about that, he decided. He turned from the mirror and went to seek the object of such thoughts. Mecha Valentine.

She was in the mess hall once again eating a large portion of a cake by herself. She looked up to see Sephiroth walking into the cafeteria. Just before he spotted her, she picked up her large cake piece and walked out the opposite door. Sephiroth walked to Zack and began to converse with him, not noticing Mecha had left.

"I know who your looking for and she just left for her quarters."

"Damn, I needed to ask her something."Zack nodded and stood.

"I'll get her for you General." Zack wandered off towards Mecha's quarters. Once her reached her quarters he knocked lightly.

"Go away."

"It's Zack."

"Fine, get in here before Sephiroth comes..." Zack walked inside and sat in the offered chair.

"Sephiroth wants to talk with you."

"Bullshit."

"Give him a chance to talk with you Mecha. He is after all making the initiative."

The girl stared at him for a few moments before answering, "One chance. If he yells or says anything ill-mannered, I will leave and never speak with him again. Understand?" Zack nodded.

"He's in the mess right now." Mecha stood and she and Zack left. Mecha went back to the mess hall and Zack to his quarters. She walked into the mess hall and Sephiroth, upon seeing her, stood.

"Mecha..."

"Let's just make this short and to the point. I do have a mission coming up soon and I want some rest."

"Wow, you've changed. First off, congratulations for regaining your former position as First Class. Why did you disguise yourself on the trip to Nibelheim? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Thanks. Well I disguised myself for 3 reasons. One, orders. Two, you weren't supposed to know. And three, knowing I was fighting with you would have put you in more danger."

"You tried to tell me?"

"You wouldn't listen. Therefore, I suffered in my later missions and got demoted. Demoted and sent home to regroup. Now, if you'll excuse me I must go tend to my before mission affairs. Good-bye Sephiroth." She walked away seemingly calm as Sephiroth stared at her leaving. Once outside the mess hall and out of his sight, she bolted and fled outside the SOLDIER barracks. She ran for who knows how long before slamming into Cloud and Zack, knocking them effectively over.

"I'm so sorry guys." Cloud just glared.

"Whatever," he said as he stalked off. Zack however remained and looked at her as she got up.

"What happened to you?" Mecha wiped her face of the tears that had fallen while she was running.

"Nothing... I'm fine."

"Did he hurt you?"

"No. I just... it was so hard looking into his eyes again. Excuse me... I must get going. I have to go to Kalm and I'd prefer to walk today." A phone was pressed into her hand.

"Call me when you're done. I knew you'd forget your phone. I know your going to ask."

"Yeah, I was going to ask, but aren't you paying for each one of these? I have 7 by now..."

"Yeah, but your brother always pays me back and you know it." Mecha smiled.

"You and Vinny are always looking out for me." Zack chuckled and roughed her hair.

"Get going silly girl." Mecha smoothed her hair and ran off towards Kalm, feeling much better. Zack drove by hours later while she was sitting halfway between the great city and small town. He waited until the tired girl dragged herself into the vehicle. "I knew you were going to be tired."

"Thanks Zack." He smirked. And put the rover in drive. He smiled at the thought of his little friend panting heavily and still walking until she had fallen to the ground.

"Hey Mecha," he said after a moment.

"What is it Zack?"

"What are your feelings on Sephiroth?"

"I don't know," she said staring at the dashboard, "I do care about him and worry when I cannot see him..."

Zack nodded.

"Hey Zack?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I call and see how he's doing?"

"Sure. I'll make sure I have him around at night."

"Thanks, but he doesn't have to be there for me to know how he's doing." Zack smiled.

"I was going to let you talk to him."

"I don't know if I should." It was at that moment the phone in her pocket rang.

"Valentine," she said when she answered the phone. A laugh rang out from the other end.

"Vincent!" her surprise rang clear.

/You never change do you little sister/

"No? How's Nibelheim?"

/It's alright. Lucrecia is writing at the moment./ Mecha giggled.

"Tell her I said hi."

/Haha. I will./

"They talked for a few more minutes as she rode to Kalm.

"Good-bye Vincent. I'm glad to hear from you again big brother."

/It was nice to get a hold of you again. I know you always forget your phones. Just be lucky Zack told me your numbers. He tells me a new one every time he gets you a new one. Good-bye./ Mecha clicked the phone shut and hopped out of the rover as it came to a stop. Zack got out and Mecha leapt onto his back.

Zack stumbled as she landed on him and as he recovered, "Thanks for giving me aride Zack. You're the best friend ever!"

"Glad you appreciate it this much. I'm going to call you tomorrow ok?"

"Ok." she hopped off his back and darted up to the Inn. Zack got back into the Rover and headed back to Midgar.

000


End file.
